Dr. Florence Chiodini

Dr Florence Chiodini

In 1999, I have obtained my PhD in Neurosciences at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Geneva. Then, I worked as a project leader in a pharmaceutical company (Pharmapeptides, University of Geneva) before joining as a postdoc the Jules Gonin Ophthalmic Hospital in 2000. In 2003, as a research associate, I joined the group of Dr. Jean-Marc Matter at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Geneva. I contributed to the study of transcription factors involved in the development and the survival of the retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). I developed techniques to monitor in real time the cell cycle progression of precursor cells and the differentiation of newborn RGCs. Analyzing the production of RGCs is highly significant knowing that retinal dystrophies which affect RGCs and the optic nerve are major causes of blindness in the western world. In parallel, I led a research project at the Geneva University Hospital (HUG, 2007-2010) on the characterization of a model of type II diabetes. Now, I am the biologist in charge of the cornea bank at the HUG which I contributed to establish in 2013. In parallel, I pursue my collaboration with the group of Dr. Jean-Marc Matter.